Protector for footwear



Sept. 8, 1925. 1,552,946

C. F. PERKINS PROTECTOR FOR FOOTWEAR Filed May 15, 1923 f5 /0 "v lNVENyTyR Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES FREDERICK PERKINS, OF LAKE VIEW, MAINE, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO MAMIE R. PERKINS, OF LAKE VIEW, MAINE.

PROTECTOR FOR FOOTWEAR.

Application filed May 15, 1923. Serial No. 639,074.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GHARLns FREDERICK PERKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lake View, in the county of Pis cataquis and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Protectors for Footwear, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to protectors for footwear and especially in some of its more specific aspects to such a protector adapted to be removably secured in position over footwear such as boots or shoes.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved protector of the class mentioned adapted to slide easily over the footwear and to be secured in position by a convenient fastening means in such a manner as to form a neat and serviceable protector well adapted to exclude moisture and other foreign matter and thus to aid in keeping the foot warm as well as forming a serviceable protector.

Another object is to provide an improved protector of the class mentioned having separate detachable heel and toe sections provided with sealing means to exclude moisture, etc.,,and being further provided with ca-lks or similar means to prevent slipping.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved protector of the class mentioned having separate detachable heel and toe sections provided with a convenient- 1y operable connecting device for detachably connecting a foot covering such as a spat or legging. a i

Other objects will be in part obvious in connection with the following detailed description of an illustrative but preferred embodiment of the invention and will be in part pointed out in connection therewith.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference is had to the following description and to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a view of the complete assembled protector applied for use, certain parts being broken away for clearness of disclosure;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the toe section;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the heel section;

Fig. 4c is a side elevation of the toe section, parts being broken away and in section for clearness of disclosure; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective viewsimilar to Fig. 3 but showing a modified construction.

Referring now tothe drawing for a detailed description of the embodiment there disclosed, the improved protector is preferably made up in a plurality of sections adapted to slip on over the usual footwear, such as a shoe or boot, which, to distinguish from the protector, may be termed the primary footwear; the protector includes a toe-section A and a heel section B. Each section comprises a sole 10 and upper 11 secured thereto in any preferred manner, and is made of a durable material capable of withstanding the usage to which it is applied; to this end the material may be varied to suit the particular use. In suitable cases metal maybe used, or the sole may be of metal and the upper of leather, rubber or fabric, or both sole and upper may be leather. I shaped to fit the primary footwear conforming snugly thereto.

Both toe and heel sections are preferably provided with a lining 12 of fabric or the like, forming soft and smooth parts contacting with the surfaces of the primary footwear, and. providing a warm protector for the foot. The toe section Avis provided on the inner face thereof adjacent its forward margin with a strip 13 of yieldable material cemented or otherwise secured to the protector and forming a seal contacting with the primary footwear so as effectually to exclude extraneous matter, such as dirt, moisture, snow, etc. The forward edge of this section may be rolled on finished to present a neat appearance and to avoid chat- In any case, the sections are in the drawings, but it ing the primary footwear or the intermediate protector hereinafter referred to.

The heel section B is also provided with a sealing strip 14; similar to the strip 13 and of like material, and secured to the inner margin of the upper. The seal 14: may extend entirely around the'inner margin of the heel section, including both upper and sole thereof, as indicated in Fig. 3. In this case, the heel section is intended for use in connection with primary footwear having a low heel and the forward ends of the sole 10 may be rolled or raised slightly so as to cooperate with the forward edge of the heel of the primary footwear. The arrangement is such that moisture, dirt, snow and the like are effectually excluded. The sealing strips or gaskets 13 and 14 are enlarged for clearness of disclosure.

Both the toe and heel sections are preferably provided with anti-slip calks15, and it is desirable that these be detachably secured in the section sole. WVith this arrangement the calks may readily bereplaced when brokeln or worn or in case it is desirable, as for certain uses, to substitute different style calks, or the calks may be entirely removed and the protector used without them. For this purpose, as shown in Fig. 4, a sleeve 16 is provided for each calk having an external circular flange and extending through an opening in the sole and through an inner washer 17, being headed over the inner surface of the washer to hold the sleeve securely in place. This sleeve is internally threaded and the shank 18 of the calk correspondingly threaded, so removal or replacement is easlly accomplished. a c

The'detachable calk per se forms the subject-matter of a prior application, Serial No. 539,238, filed February 25, 1922, patented 'June 6, 1923, No.'1,458,4597, in which certain of the subject-matter of the present invention is disclosed, this application being to this extent i'a' continuation of said prior application. i

Means are provided for securing the heel and. 'toe sections in wearing position. As

shown, this means preferably comprises an instep, strap 19Hsecured to the heel section and being provided with an adjustable securing device, such as a buckle 20. The toe section is held in place by straps 21 attached to the instep strap and to the toe section, and being provided with a buckle 22, similar to buckle 20. Two of .the .toe straps. 21 are preferably employed, only one being shown will be understood that another strap may bezplaced symmetrically on the oppositeside of the protector. The securing straps, when thus arranged,

are easily manipulated, and long and cumbersome toe straps avoided. In'many instances, as when there 1s exposure to cold and snow, it may become deshown somewhat sirable to employ additional protection for the foot between the heel and toe sections. To supply such protection, an intermediate protector 28, such as a spat or legging may be utilized, passing on over the foot and overlapping the toe heel sections A and B. The forward edge of the intermediate protector is preferably secured to the toe sec tion A by means of a series of snap fastenings 24, as will be understood from the drawing, and the rearward edge may be similarly secured to the heel section B by a series of similar fastenings 25. Although it may be desirable in certain classes of service to employ the intermediate protector, it will be understood that the heel and toe protectors may be employed independently of the intermediate protector, or either the heel or toe section may be employed alone or in combination with the intermediate protector.

Instead of being formed with a forward edge as described in connection'with Fig. 3, the sole 10 of the heel section may be provided at its forward edge with an upstanding wall or brace 26, adapted to cooperate with the forward face of a heel having considerable thickness. In this case, the sealing strip vl4 may becontinued adjacent the inner upper margin of the wall 26, so as to contact with the heel of the primary footwear and form therewith a tight joint. From the foregoing description, it will be seen that a convenient and serviceable protector is provided. The heel and toe sections not only protect the heel and toe of the primary footwear from wear and in jury incident to severe usage, but also exclude moisture and dirt and aid in keeping the foot warm. When the intermediate pro- .tector is employed, the securing straps for the heel and toe sections, as well as the foot, are p ote ed from e pos r a he pr tector is readily placed in position or removed. The calks being readily removable or replaceable, the protector may be adjust ed for walking over slippery surfaces, or

they mayb employed for coasting or other uses. Y

I Since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A protector for footwear, including in combination, separate heel and toe sections of rigid material, and adapted res )ectively to enclose the heel and toe of the ootwear, and each having sole and upper enclosing portions and being adapted for placement by the wearer upon or removal from the footwear when in wearing position, a strip of resilient sealing material secured on the inner surface adjacent the margin of one or more of said sections, and extending continuously around the sole and upper portions thereof, so as to contact against the sole and upper portions of the footwear, cooperating therewith to provide tight joints for the exclusion of ;moisture and other foreign matter when placed in wearing position, and adjustable straps connected to both of said sections for detachably securing them in wearing position and adjustably supporting said sealing material in sealing engagement with the footwear.

2. A protector for footwear, including in combination, separate heel and toe sections adapted respectively to enclose the heel and toe of the footwear and each having sole and upper enclosing portions and being adapted for placement on or removal from the footwear by the wearer, asealing member on the inner surface of the protector adjacent to the margin of one or more of said sections and extending all the way around the sole and upper portions thereof so as to contact against the sole and upper portions of the footwear and cooperating therewith to provide tight joints for the exclusion of moisture and other foreign matter, an intermediate protective section for the footwear adapted to span the gap between the toe and heel protective sections, and means for detachably connecting the margins of the intermediate protective section in close relationship with the heel and toe protective sections so as to provide tight joints therewith.

3. A protector for footwear, including in combination, a heel section of rigid material adapted to enclose the heel of the footwear and having sole and upper engaging portions, a strip of resilient sealing material secured to the inner surface of said section adjacent the margin thereof and extending continuously around {the sole and upper portions thereof and adapted to engage with the footwear to form therewith tight joints to exclude moisture and other foreign matter, and an instep strap for holding said section in position with said sealing strip in close sealing engagement with the foot wear.

4-. In a protector for footwear, in combination, a heel section and a toe section adapted to enclose the heel and toe respectively of the footwear, and each having sole and upper enclosing portions, each of said sections being provided with a series of connecting devices and an intermediate removable protective section extending between said heel and toe sections and being provided with a plurality of series of marginal connecting devices for detachable con nection with said first mentioned connecting devices, and enclosing and protecting the footwear between the toe and heel sections. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES FREDERICK PERKINS. 

